Lynda Topp

Dame Lynda Bethridge Topp (born 14 May 1958) is a New Zealand entertainer. She was one half of the Topp Twins, a music comedy duo; the other member was her now deceased twin sister Jools Topp. With her sister, she became one of New Zealand's best-known entertainers through live performances, television and film over several decades. They combined country and folk music, comedy, and political activism, and performed as original characters including Ken & Ken and Camp Mother and Camp Leader. The sisters were both appointed Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours.

The twins started their career busking in Christchurch and Auckland during the 1970s and performed at protests and public events relating to issues including women's rights, homosexual law reform, Māori land rights and opposition to the 1981 Springbok tour. They appeared in numerous television shows and were the subjects of the 2009 documentary film The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls. They co-authored several books including their memoirs in 2003 and 2023; the latter won an award for being the best-selling New Zealand book in 2024.

Background and personal life On 14 May 1958, Jean Topp gave birth to twin sisters Lynda and Jools in Huntly, New Zealand. They have an older brother Bruce and their father is Peter. Lynda Topp grew up with her family on a dairy farm in Waikato. Topp attended Ruawaro Combined School during the 1960s and early 1970s. Lynda and Jools started singing together for other people when they were five years old. When they were nine, their brother bought them a guitar with money he had saved up.

After leaving Huntly College in 1976, Jools and Lynda Topp joined the New Zealand Territorial Force and were posted at the Burnham Military Camp near Christchurch for six weeks. When they were 17, they performed at the Victorian Coffee Lounge (Montreal Street, Christchurch Central City). This brought them into contact with radical lesbian feminists. They both started identifying as lesbian from the late 1970s. Much of their life has been in the public eye and their mother was interviewed by Radio New Zealand about the closure of the Women's Weekly magazine in 2020 talking about how much her children had been featured in these magazines.

Lynda enjoys hunting and fly fishing, which is why she chose to live in the South Island of New Zealand. Lynda has done many things in addition to being an entertainer, including running a café with her partner Donna in Methven, Canterbury. In March 2013, Lynda married her long-time partner Donna Luxton, a preschool teacher. At the time, as same-sex marriage was not legal in New Zealand, the couple entered into a civil union as a substitute.

On the birth of a new generation, with Lynda being a grandparent and Jools being a great aunt, they admitted they did not expect it when they were younger because as they said: "We're all gay", referring also to their brother.

Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill Before the third reading of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, which ultimately passed and legalised same-sex marriage in New Zealand, the Topp Twins publicly endorsed the bill in a post on their website. In a statement, Lynda said: Everybody should be able to stand up and say "I'm getting married". A Civil Union is demeaning, this idea that you will never be good enough, that your love is somehow less than or not as worthy. There's no romance to it. And today, I feel more romantic and more in love than I've ever felt in my life.

Breast cancer In March 2022 Lynda and Jools revealed that they had both been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.

Local politics Topp ran for election to the Ashburton District Council Western Ward in the 2022 local elections. She was unsuccessful, coming third with 777 votes.

Career

Lynda Topp along with her sister Jools has had a long career in entertainment in New Zealand. They sing country and folk music with harmonies often to raise people's social consciousness. As entertainers Lynda Topp leads the comedy and "works the audience", and mostly Jools plays the guitar and leads the song making. The Topp Twins' popularity arose from a regular stint busking in Auckland when they were in their early 20s. They got taken to court for causing obstruction on Queen Street because their crowd was too big. They won the case and benefited from the publicity. Soon after that they travelled and performed to university crowds around New Zealand.

Awards 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Entertainer: Topp Twins 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Entertainment Programme: Topp Twins Special 1987 Listener Film and Television Awards. Best Original Music: Topp Twins Special 1997 TV Guide Television Awards. Best Performance in an Entertainment Programme (shared with Lynda Topp): for Topp Twins, Do Not Adjust Your Twinset, episode 2 2004 New Zealand Order of Merit. (Shared with Lynda Topp) For Services to Entertainment 2009 Melbourne Film Festival. Audience Award for Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards. Best Feature Film – Under $1 Million: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards. Original Music (shared with Lynda Topp): for The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Audience Award for Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2010 Brattleboro Film Festival (United States). Best of Festival Award: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2010 FIFO Oceanian International Documentary Film Festival (Tahiti). Special Jury Award: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2010 Gothenburg International Film Festival (Sweden). Audience Dragon Award for Best Feature Film: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 2010 Portland International Film Festival. Best Feature Documentary: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

Screenography Give us a clue. 2021, As: Ken – Television Wellington Paranormal – Covid-19. 2020, As: Mrs O'Leary – Web Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy. 2019, Subject – Television Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy (series promo). 2019, Subject – Television Wellington Paranormal. 2019–2021, As: Officer O'Leary's Mum – Television Poi E: The Story of Our Song. 2016, Subject – Film Topp Country. 2014 – 2016, Presenter – Television The Topp Twins and the APO. 2010, Presenter, Presenter – Television The Topp Twins: – Untouchable Girls. 2009, Subject – Film Ken's Hunting and Fishing Show. 2007, Director, As: Ken Moller – Television Ken's Hunting and Fishing Show – Tongariro. 2007, As: Ken Moller, Director – Television The Adventures of Roman Pilgrim. 2005, As: One of the Fates – Short Film Mr and Mrs. 2000, Presenter – Television In Search of the Lonesome Yodel. 2000, Presenter – Television The Topp Twins – Highland Games. 2000, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television The Topp Twins – Speedway. 1998, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television 1998 Hero Parade. 1998, Subject – Television Destination Planet Earth. 1997 – 1998, Subject – Television Highwater. 1997, As: Marge – Television The Topp Twins. 1996 – 2000, Writer, Musician, Producer – Television The Topp Twins – The Beach. 1996, Performer, Writer, Producer – Television The Topp Twins: Do Not Adjust Your Twinset. 1996, Presenter – Television Beyond a Joke!. 1995, Subject – Television The People Next Door. 1994, Subject – Television Camping Out with the Topp Twins. 1993, Musician – Television Rivers of NZ. 1992, Subject – Television Great New Zealand River Journeys. 1991, Presenter – Television Topp Twins TV Special. 1986, Musician That's Country. 1980 – 1984, Performer – Television

Books

2018 Topp Country: A Culinary Journey Through New Zealand with the Topp Twins by Jools Topp and Linda Topp Hardcover (New Zealand)

She has also released five best-selling children’s audio books.

Discography

The Topp Twins have released a number of vinyls, tapes, and CDs.